Find Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a therapeutic process that uses low-dose ketamine in conjunction with guided psychotherapy sessions to help clients access and process emotions, memories, and thought patterns that are often locked beneath the surface. The goal of KAP isn’t just symptom relief — it’s deep emotional integration, trauma healing, and long-term psychological change.

The ketamine induces a non-ordinary state of consciousness where defenses are lowered, inner experiences become more vivid, and long-standing emotional blocks can loosen. In this state, people often explore trauma, grief, existential themes, or self-identity from new and healing perspectives. A licensed therapist supports the journey — before, during, and after each ketamine session — ensuring emotional safety and helping clients make sense of what arises.

KAP is entirely different from recreational ketamine use. It’s delivered under the supervision of medical and mental health professionals in structured settings with clear protocols, screening, and ethical standards.

KAP has shown promise in a wide range of mental health and emotional conditions, particularly where traditional treatments haven’t worked or have provided only temporary relief. Most notably, KAP is used in cases of:

• Treatment-resistant depression, where multiple antidepressants have failed
• Major depressive disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma
• Generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety
• Suicidal ideation, with careful clinical oversight
• Chronic emotional numbness or detachment
• Existential distress, identity crisis, or spiritual malaise
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), in some cases
• Chronic pain that’s connected to unresolved trauma or emotional suppression

Unlike quick symptom-focused approaches, KAP works by helping clients tap into emotional material often buried or inaccessible through talk therapy alone. This makes it particularly effective for those who feel “stuck,” disconnected, or beyond the reach of traditional healing methods.

KAP is well-suited for individuals who are ready to explore their inner lives more deeply — especially those who have already tried conventional treatments without lasting success.

This includes:

• People with treatment-resistant mood disorders who feel trapped in cycles of despair or low motivation
• Trauma survivors who feel emotionally shut down or dissociated
• Clients struggling with numbness or spiritual emptiness
• Individuals who have insight but still feel emotionally “frozen”
• Those facing suicidal thoughts and seeking a different, fast-acting intervention
• People with chronic anxiety or looping thought patterns they can't interrupt
• Clients in mid-life or existential transitions, seeking purpose and healing

KAP is especially powerful for people who feel they’ve plateaued in their current therapy or for whom talking alone has never fully resolved deeper pain.

KAP is typically structured across three phases: preparation, dosing, and integration. Each step is essential and contributes to the effectiveness of the experience.

Preparation Phase

Before any ketamine is administered, clients engage in several sessions with a trained therapist. These sessions:

• Clarify emotional goals and areas of focus
• Build rapport and emotional safety with the therapist
• Educate clients on what to expect during ketamine experiences
• Review any medical concerns with the prescribing doctor
• Set intentions and address fears or resistance

This groundwork helps reduce anxiety and creates a safe psychological container for the altered state experience.

Dosing Sessions

In the core sessions, ketamine is administered under controlled, supervised conditions. Methods include sublingual lozenges, intramuscular (IM) injections, intravenous (IV) infusions, or nasal spray. The dose is carefully calibrated to induce a dissociative, introspective, or psychedelic state, depending on therapeutic goals.

Clients are typically in a calm, dimly lit room, wearing an eye mask and listening to music. The therapist may remain quietly present or offer verbal support if needed, but the emphasis is on the client’s internal experience. Many report vivid imagery, emotional breakthroughs, or a sense of observing life with new clarity.

Integration Phase

After the ketamine session, clients meet with their therapist to process and reflect. Integration sessions help:

• Make sense of emotional or symbolic experiences
• Apply insights to real-life relationships, habits, or patterns
• Build coping tools based on what was uncovered
• Create long-term meaning from each session

Integration is arguably the most important phase — it’s where new awareness becomes transformation. Without it, the experience can feel disconnected or even overwhelming.

KAP differs from standard ketamine infusions in both purpose and process. Infusion-only models often operate under a medical model — with patients receiving ketamine infusions regularly in hopes of reducing symptoms like depression or anxiety. These clinics typically do not offer any form of therapy or emotional support during or after the sessions.

In contrast, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy includes:

• A therapeutic relationship and structured psychological support
• Intentional exploration of trauma, grief, and identity
• Integration work that connects the ketamine journey to long-term growth
• Lower, carefully titrated doses that prioritize emotional access over sedation

KAP is not about “resetting the brain” through chemistry alone. It’s about partnering with the medicine to unlock deeper parts of the psyche — and using therapy to make sense of what emerges.